EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team picked up two wins on Saturday to bid farewell to the McPhee Center. The Blugolds defeated UW-Stout 3-0 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) match to start the day before blanking St. Olaf 3-0 in the final match the team will play at McPhee. The team will play its home games at the Sonnentag Event Center beginning next season.
The McPhee Center has been the home of Blugold volleyball since its inception in the 1970s. It has hosted seven conference championship squads for the Blugolds and one national championship team. The gym was the venue for six conference championship matches and six NCAA Tournament matches.
UW-EAU CLAIRE 3, UW-STOUT 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blugolds started the day with a WIAC sweep, knocking off the Blue Devils 25-18, 25-20, 25-12.
- Abby Stanwood (Jr. – Excelsior, Minn./Minnetonka) led the attack with 11 kills, while Mya Cinnamo (So. – Rosemount, Minn.) and Bailey Leeke (Jr. – Lakeville, Minn./North) added 10 and nine kills, respectively.
- Ella Kiebel (Jr. – Maple Lake, Minn.) passed 32 assists, and anchored the back line with 11 digs. Kaitlyn Erickson (Fr. – Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) also made 11 digs.
- The Blugolds won seven of the first 10 points in the match. A 9-4 run later in the first set helped build a cushion, and UW-Eau Claire put it away with another hot stretch to close out the set.
- The Blugolds went on a 7-0 run midway through the second set to overturn a deficit, and the Blue Devils never recovered.
- UW-Eau Claire sealed the win by scoring 18 of the first 24 points in the final set.
UW-EAU CLAIRE 3, ST. OLAF 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blugolds got past the Oles 28-26, 25-17, 25-22.
- Leeke led the attack with 16 kills and Stanwood added 15. Leeke also had 11 digs.
- Kiebel dished 47 assists and made 12 digs.
- UW-Eau Claire trailed 10-4 in the first set, but surged with a 6-1 run to take a lead midway through. St. Olaf later held two set points with a 24-22 lead, but the Blugolds saved them both and went on to clinch the set on an Oles error.
- St. Olaf got ahead again in the second set, building an 8-4 lead. However, five straight points by UW-Eau Claire erased the deficit, and the Blugolds cruised from there.
- A 6-0 spurt in the final set helped UW-Eau Claire close out the match. A kill from Leeke closed out the McPhee era in style.
UP NEXT
No. 25 UW-Eau Claire (18-6, 3-2) is next in action on Wednesday, October 30, with a high-profile matchup against No. 6 UW-Oshkosh at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Blugolds will host Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night, and all students wearing costumes will receive free pizza.
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